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McKinstry Creek (2007)

Fisheries Survey Summary

McKinstry Creek, located in north-eastern Cattaraugus County, was sampled by DEC fisheries staff on August 8, 9&14, 2007 at four long-term sampling sites and one new site to estimate the trout populations. The long term sites had also been sampled in 2002, 2000, 1999, 1995 and 1993. The stream supports a fishery for wild brown trout and rainbow trout and has not been stocked with trout since 1996. McKinstry Creek has been managed with a 9" minimum size limit since 2002 and has had an extended catch and release season during the normally closed season since 2004.

At the four long-term sampling sites, the stream and the overall abundance and biomass of yearling and older brown trout (294/mile, 41 pounds/acre) was very consistent between 2007, 2002 and 2000 samples. For yearling and older rainbow trout, a clear trend is apparent with both biomass and abundance (15 pounds/acre, 358/mile) steadily increasing since 1995 (Table 1). Rainbow trout were not found in McKinstry Creek prior to about 1980 and we apparently are continuing to see their population expand. Some of the increases in numbers of rainbows in McKinstry Creek is due to a strong yearling year class. If these fish survive in similar fashion to age 3, the numbers of fish 8"-11" should be very good in 2009. Wild brook trout were only captured at the most upstream site and they were only represented by five individuals (two yearlings and three, two-year-olds). In 2002 we captured 10 individuals at this site. It is likely that brook trout are continuing to be replaced by browns and rainbows in upper McKinstry Creek. The fifth site was not part of the standard McKinstry Creek sampling, but was done to evaluate the numbers of trout utilizing a section of stream where significant stream improvement was carried out in the summer of 2005. There was at least double the abundance of both brown and rainbow trout at Site 5 (736/mile for browns, 719/mile for rainbows) in comparison to the average for Sites 1-4. It is apparent that the habitat work at Site 5 has been very successful in supporting more trout than the stream as a whole.